Wednesday night at TD Garden, the Boston Celtics improved their NBA-leading record to 32-9, earning a 117-98 victory vs. Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

They’re also now 20-0, extending the franchise record for the best home start to a season. It’s tied for the 11th-best home start in NBA history.

“The goal has been to build a connection and identity with the city and with the team, to where they give us this lift and this level of this support that they have when we play a certain type of way, Celtics basketball,” conveyed head coach Joe Mazzulla while discussing the motivation fueling Boston’s success on its parquet after Wednesday’s win. “We’ve done that for the first 20 games at home. That’s been the goal.”

Mazzulla and the Celtics are better off focusing on their “win the day” mantra rather than getting caught up in whether they can match or perhaps even surpass the 1985-86 Celtics, who went 40-1 at the old Boston Garden before lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy that postseason.

Regardless of venue, each game brings its own challenges, and this Friday’s may represent the most difficult one the C’s will face on their home floor in the 2023-24 campaign.

Reigning NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets will be in town for their lone trip to TD Garden this season. At 28-14, the visitors for Friday night’s tilt are third in the Western Conference standings and have the fifth-best record in the NBA.

Fortunately for the hosts, their injury report a day before a matchup that could prove a Finals preview is a clean sheet, signaling that, at least for the moment, everyone is good to go for this battle between two of the best teams in the Association.

Further Reading

Celtics Finding Joy in Basketball and Each Other’s Company: ‘We’ve Been Blessed’

Fixated on Winning, Jayson Tatum Again Proves He’s Not ‘Bored Making the Right Play Over and Over’

Ime Udoka Assesses Tatum and Brown’s Growth Since Coaching Them: ‘A Lot of Potential That I Haven’t Tapped Into’

Marcus Smart in Danger of Missing Return to Boston

Jrue Holiday Responds to Celtics Saying He’s Sacrificing Most: ‘Not Mad at My Situation’

Brad Stevens Shares What Celtics Are Looking to Add and How He Hopes to Do So

Derrick White Opens Up About Journey from Uncertainty He Belonged in the NBA to an All-Star Caliber Guard

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: ‘Earn Everybody’s Trust’

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics’ Offense: ‘Balance of Pace and Execution’

Jaylen Brown Shares His View of What Defines ‘Celtics Basketball’